Rabbit's Foot

What Rabbit's Foot does

Rabbit's Foot Meadery is a California-based craft beverage producer founded in 1995 that claims to be the oldest commercial mead producer in the United States. The company manufactures handcrafted meads and hard ciders using traditional fermentation methods, including extended oak barrel aging (with premium offerings aged up to 20 years) and multi-year stainless steel maturation, with single-varietal honey sourcing from specific regions such as Oregon Rogue River Wildflower, Florida Tupelo, and California Orange Blossom. The product portfolio spans varietal meads, melomels, metheglins, and dessert meads with ABV ranging from 9% to 18%, alongside a line of cysers (apple-honey hard ciders) marketed under the sister brand Red Branch Cider & Brewing Company.

The company operates a purpose-built production facility in the Sierra Foothills and has deliberately shifted away from mass-market distribution toward small-batch, experimental production. Its go-to-market is exclusively direct-to-consumer: invitation-only private tastings and tours at the Sierra Foothills facility (weekend-only, limited slots, often booked months in advance) and online sales through VinoShipper.com. Products are priced at a premium tier (e.g., Sweet Mead at $20 per 750ml), with limited releases (such as Melia at fewer than 50 cases and the Mead of Poetry Grand Reserve aged a minimum of 7 years) available at unstated premium prices.

Revenue is generated through one-time product sales and tasting experience fees. The target customer segment is premium craft beverage enthusiasts who value heritage, small-batch craftsmanship, and intimate founder-led experiences over mass-market alternatives. Distribution is domestic only (California production, online shipping within the US), with no third-party retail, hospitality, or wholesale channels identified. The company's headcount of 1–10 employees, absence of any disclosed funding rounds, and absence of institutional investors indicate a lifestyle/small-business operating profile rather than a venture-scale enterprise.

Name

Rabbit's Foot

Legal name

Rabbit's Foot Meadery

Website

https://rabbitsfootmeadery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rabbit's Foot Meadery is a California craft meadery and cidery, founded in 1995 and self-identified as the oldest commercial mead producer in the US, selling ultra-premium, small-batch meads and hard ciders via invitation-only private tastings and direct online sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Mead and Cider

NAICS

Distilleries (312140)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Mead Production (AFAFAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mead Producers & Brands (CRADAIAG), Cider & Perry Producers & Brands (CRADAIAE)

Keywords

• Craft mead production
• Hard cider production
• Artisanal honey wine
• Small-batch brewing
• Cyser manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Sunnyvale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Mead and Cider Product Sales: Sale of handcrafted meads and ciders through direct online ordering via VinoShipper.com and during private facility visits. Products include various styles: Sweet Mead ($20/750ml), specialty dessert meads, single-varietal meads, and hard ciders.
2. Private Tastings and Tours: Invitation-only private tastings and tours at the Sierra Foothills facility, offering intimate experiences including lunch or dinner with founders. Weekend-only availability with limited slots.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Rabbit's Foot Meadery produces and sells handcrafted meads and hard ciders (cysers) made from single-varietal honeys and Pacific Northwest apple juice, using traditional fermentation with extended oak barrel aging (7-20 years) and stainless-steel maturation. Products are sold direct-to-consumer through a private, reservation-only tasting program at its Sierra Foothills facility and online via VinoShipper.com.

Product overview

Rabbit's Foot Meadery is the oldest commercial mead producer in the US, operating a small-batch, purpose-built facility in the Sierra Foothills. The company produces a portfolio of meads (including Sweet Mead, Raspberry Mead, Chocolate Raspberry Love, Mead of Poetry, Melia, Odin, Loki, Tupelonium, and Garavogue Irish Mead) and hard ciders (Black Cherry, Apple Honey, and Raspberry). The mead portfolio spans styles including varietal meads, melomels, metheglins, and dessert meads, with ABV ranging from 9% to 18%. The company offers private tasting room experiences by reservation and sells products online via VinoShipper.com.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Red Branch Cider & Brewing Company: Sister brand to Rabbit's Foot Meadery. Produces ciders (traditionally called 'cyser') using apple juice and honey sourced from the Pacific Northwest.

Products and services

• Sweet Mead Gold Medal-winning varietal mead with relatively high residual sugar, hints of vanilla and spice, fragrant nose of ripe blackberry and spices, and smooth warming finish. ABV 12%, available year-round in 750ml bottles at $20.
• Raspberry Mead A melomel made with Oregon Rogue River Wildflower honey, fermented with fresh raspberries using modern fermentation techniques to retain bright color, flavor, and aroma.
• Chocolate Raspberry Love Celebration dessert mead combining chocolate and raspberry flavors. ABV 18%, available semi-yearly. Used as the base barrel for aging Odin and Loki meads.
• Mead of Poetry The Grand Reserve and oldest commercially available product of its kind. Aged in oak for a minimum of 7 years, most recently 20 years. Likened to a sherry or port. ABV 17%, available in 350ml bottles as a limited release typically released once a year during holidays.
• Melia (CA Orange Blossom Mead) Signature dessert-style mead produced from a single bloom of California orange blossom honey. Limited production of fewer than 50 cases. ABV 9%, available in 350ml bottles as a limited release.
• Odin (Barrel Aged Honey Dew Mead) Fine honey wine produced from rare and dark Honey Dew (forest honey) made by bees collecting sugary sap from aphids. Aged in barrels that previously held Chocolate Raspberry Love. ABV 9.5%. Status: Out of Production.
• Loki Semi-dry mead aged in barrels that previously held Chocolate Raspberry Love and Odin. Features hints of Odin's characteristics plus subtle notes of raspberry and chocolate from the Chocolate Raspberry Love base. ABV 11%.
• Tupelonium (Florida Tupelo Honey Mead) Crafted from Florida Tupelo honey and aged in stainless steel for 7 years to full maturity without oak or oxygen influence. Medium sweetness showcasing single varietal honey. ABV 12%.
• Garavogue Irish Mead – 7 Year Old Spotlights unique Irish honey profiles with delicate notes of honey, heather, and balanced acidity. ABV 11.5%, 6% residual sugar, full-body style with rich textures. Made from 100% Irish honey. Co-branded product partnership with Celtic Meadery.
• Black Cherry Cider A hard cider (cyser) beginning with apple juice and honey sourced from the Pacific Northwest, fermented together, filtered, and enhanced with black cherry juice. Made from 100% real ingredients.
• Apple Honey Cider A hard cider (cyser) beginning with apple juice and honey sourced from the Pacific Northwest, fermented together and filtered. Made from 100% real ingredients.
• Raspberry Cider A hard cider (cyser) beginning with apple juice and honey sourced from the Pacific Northwest, fermented together, filtered, and enhanced with raspberry juice. Made from 100% real ingredients.
• Private Tastings and Tours Private, reservation-only tastings and tours at the Sierra Foothills facility, offering intimate tours of the facility and grounds, sampling of the finest meads, and lunch or dinner with founders. Weekend-only availability with limited slots, often booked months in advance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Gold Medal Winner at International Mead Festival
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Celtic MeaderyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRabbit's Foot Meadery partnered with Celtic Meadery for the Garavogue Irish Mead product, which spotlights unique Irish honey profiles. This is a co-branded product relationship showcasing Irish honey varieties.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Angry Orchard Cider Company: Largest-scale US hard cider brand owned by Boston Beer Company. Comparable as a hard cider producer in the same category Rabbit's Foot addresses through its Red Branch sister brand, but operating at vastly greater scale and broader distribution.
• Woodchuck Hard Cider: Established US hard cider brand with broad retail distribution. Comparable as a hard cider producer and consumer brand in the cyser/cider category where Rabbit's Foot competes via Red Branch.

Direct peers

• B. Nektar Meadery: Well-known craft mead producer with a wide portfolio of flavored meads and cysers and a strong tasting room presence. Comparable in craft mead category positioning, product diversity, and DTC sales approach.
• Superstition Meadery: Award-winning US craft meadery producing barrel-aged and experimental meads. Comparable in emphasis on premium, small-batch production and aging programs, plus tasting room experience.
• Redstone Meadery: Established US craft meadery producing a broad portfolio of meads and cysers with tasting room experiences. Comparable in product mix (mead plus fruit-forward cysers) and DTC distribution model.
• Schramm's Mead: Premium craft meadery focused on small-batch, often barrel-aged meads with limited releases. Directly comparable as a high-end, heritage-style mead producer competing in the same ultra-premium segment.
• Celtic Meadery: Craft mead producer and existing partner of Rabbit's Foot on the Garavogue Irish Mead. Directly comparable as a fellow small-batch meadery, with explicit commercial overlap through co-branded product collaboration.

Others

• Napa Valley Wine Train / Sierra Foothills Wineries (regional craft beverage collective): Sierra Foothills wine region producers (e.g., Sierra Foothill Wine) are regional peers sharing the same tourism, hospitality, and DTC channel ecosystem where Rabbit's Foot positions its invitation-only tasting experience.
• VinoShipper: Direct-to-consumer alcohol shipping platform that Rabbit's Foot uses for online orders. While not a competitor, it is an ecosystem enabler critical to Rabbit's Foot's current e-commerce distribution model.

Regional players

• Fritz Winery: Small Sierra Foothills winery producing premium, limited-quantity wines. Comparable as a fellow Sierra Foothills-based craft beverage producer relying on reservation-only tastings and DTC direct sales in the same regional tourism corridor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rabbitsfootmead
• Facebookfacebook.com/rabbitsfootmeadery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rabbit's Foot